Fiery Desire
by darknessdreams
Summary: When a Kittypet joins the wild, she desires to be treated and trusted like a clan member. When her best friend turns on her, she has to find someone who trusts her and understands. But is there someone in her life who does just that?


The early morning sun washed light over the green growth. The brilliant radiance came through the opening in the trees that blew lightly with the silent whisper of the wind. Illuminate glows coming from the sun shown through clear windows. In that light through the transparent windows laid a tortoiseshell she-cat, dreaming on a soft rug inside a warm house.

The sound of heavy footsteps danced through her ears that pricked as they headed toward her. She lifted her head and her eyes opened. A large shape crouched and set a weighty paw upon her head. Her ears lowered and her eyes closed as the mass pressed down on her. Once it finished, she lifted her head to face it and her ears and eyes opened. The hefty figure murmured something the tortoiseshell cat couldn't understand and it walked away.

When it was clearly gone, she got up and shook herself. When she finished her glamorous stretch, she heard a bell ring and she trotted towards the exit of the house. The creature that that just rubbed its paw on her tugged on the door to the exit and it swung open. She wasn't surprised that there was another Tallfigure was standing right outside of it asking her owner if it could come in. But her monotony fled when she saw her best friend resting in its arms.

Lucky!

She instantly quickened her pace, leaping onto a nearby chair so she could be seen. She sat with her tail wrapped around her paws. When she heard Lucky call out to her, her heart lifted, "Pepper?" The question filled her with joy. Almost enough joy to disable her to speak.

"Lucky! I knew it was you." Pepper got up leaning closer. With time, the Tallfigures mumbled to each other and the new Tallfigure set Lucky down so they could greet one another. "What happened to you?" Pepper asked sitting down again. "I thought you moved away?"

"We were going to. If you ask me, these Tallfigures have bees in their brains. They just can't make up their tiny minds," Lucky meowed humorously.

"I know what you mean but they can't help it if they aren't the smartest creatures in the world," Pepper leaned her head to the side adding, "They try to understand what we want." She wanted to look on the bright side. "I practically went out in search of you when I found out you were going to leave. At least you're staying here!" Pepper mewed happily.

"Yeah," Lucky meowed lifting his spirit. "I missed you," he added lowering his head.

Pepper turned her head to face a big window that looked out into the forest. Lucky noticed where her gaze fixed. "You're not thinking about the forest again, are you?" He saw that her gaze was increasingly desperate. "Come on, the last time you went in there, you were lost for an entire day and you nearly got shredded to pieces!"

"But—" Pepper tried to protest but Lucky stopped her too quickly. "No!" he shouted before she could finish. "Now that I am back, I will make sure you never get hurt. You are my friend and I don't want to have another chance of losing you." His green eyes showed both worry filled emotions and anger.

"But it has always been my dream to see the forest," she urged more quickly. But Lucky didn't stop her even as she went on. "I have to find out who and what those creatures were that almost attacked me."

Lucky sighed. He wanted her to be happy but he didn't want her to get hurt. "If you go, I go. But your Tallfigures will be worried and will wonder where you have gone."

"At least you won't," Pepper tried to cheer him up. Lucky blew air out of his nose in exasperation and responded angrily, "I already said yes. No point in trying to convince me anymore than I am."

He was right. If she went on about it any longer, he might change his mind. Pepper's answer was silent as she meowed to her owner; the usual sound that meant she wanted to go outside. The Tallfigure leaned down and loudly said words she couldn't make out or understand then headed for the back door. As it walked, Pepper rubbed up against its leg as a sign of gratitude and it turned to pet her again.

When Pepper and Lucky were finally outside, Pepper leaped from item to item in the yard in order to reach the fence.

"Alright, there it is," Pepper meowed, leaning her head forward to show Lucky. Lucky leaped on top of the fence to join her.

"Once last time, are you sure you want to do this?" He questioned, hoping to change her mind. "You'll be putting your life on the line and we might even starve!"

"I'm positive," Pepper responded looking forward with determination in her eyes. Turning, Pepper shot a glance at her old home with what might be her last sight of it. And with that, they bounded forward into the dark, dangerous forest.

Lucky and Pepper took small, vigilant steps, cautiously glancing furiously back and forth. A quick squirrel ran by and Pepper halted, wincing. Lucky looked at her as though he had proved his point. "You're sure we shouldn't just turn back right now?" Lucky put in before he could take another step. Pepper straightened although her legs still shook with fear. "Yes. My heart is pushing me forward, not my mind. This is instinct, trust me," Pepper responded already walking again so that she had to turn to talk. Lucky felt _his_ instincts telling him to pounce at her and bring her back home but he forced himself to go on.

As it got darker, Pepper felt herself still shivering with fear. Lucky stopped. Pepper turned to face him. "What are you—"

"Be quiet!" Lucky whispered beginning to lift his head. He drank in the air. "We're being followed." Pepper turned her head swiftly. She started to shake as if she had a fever. "F-Followed?" She questioned crouching down.

"Yes, someone is following us, now be quiet," Lucky repeated. The bush rustled and Lucky's ears pricked. "Lay as closely to the ground as you can and do it slowly."

Quietly, Pepper obeyed him, feeling her belly touch the forest floor. At the moment she finished, something leaped out of the bushes. Pepper simply closed her eyes and waited for something to happen. When she opened her eyes, two toms looked down at her, sneering.

"What are you doing here?" spat the gray tom. He was obviously still very young. But the fiery coated tom just stayed behind him observing his friend. When Pepper nor Lucky responded, he repeated his question, growing impatient, "I said, what are you doing here?"

Pepper looked up at him, opening her mouth to respond but before she could, Lucky ran in front of her. "We are here to see the forest! It's not like the entire forest belongs to you."

The gray tom obviously ran out of patience. "It does, too! This is the ThunderClan territory and no kittypets allowed."

Pepper sniffed the air. "Kittypets?" Lucky got it right away, "I think they mean, us, Pepper."

"Yeah, but, I smell 'Kittypet' and it's not us," she retorted, getting up to investigate further. "What about the shy one behind you?"

The frisky gray tom look offended. "Are you calling my friend a Kittypet? You must have a broken nose. Just what I would expect from a _Kittypet_." Pepper rolled her eyes and stood up. It was ominous that she thought these cats that were only the slightest bit more than kits.

"Where is this 'ThunderClan' you speak of?" Pepper felt curious enought to ask.

"Like we'd ever tell you!" The brave tom spat while stepping forward.

"Do you have some sort of leader?" Lucky asked, ignoring the grey tom.

"Well, there's Bluestar," murmured the fiery coated tom.

"Firepaw! Don't tell them that," the long haired gray tom turned to silence him.

"But Graypaw, what harm could it do? After all, they're only _Kittypets_," teased Firepaw.

"Firepaw, are you completely mouse-brained? These are Kittypets, not Clanmates!" Graypaw tried to stop his friend. "They belong to filthy, fox-mined, mouse-brained Twolegs! Do I have to make all the decisions around here? You never know, they might be rouges, loners or the worst of them all, spys from ShadowClan."

"Then why not just call me a Kittypet if I'm that filthy to you? Don't forget, I once lived under a Twoleg roof also," Firepaw reminded him.

"Yeah, and we must've made the wrong decision when we let you in," Graypaw mumbled underbreath.

"We _will_ take you to Bluestar," Firepaw ignored his friend. He suddenly shifted to a stalking position, "But if you try one trick, we will make sure you can never make on again!"

Graypaw seemed happy with his decision but not happy he had made the decision without him. But with that, he agreed and he and Firepaw padded back to the Clan camp, the Kittypets following closely behind.

When they got to a tunnel of brambles, they paused for a moment as they felt the other cat's eyes burning into their pelts. After that, went on slowly and cautiously making sure not to upset them.

When they reached a clearing, even more cats glared at them. "What are you doing bringinh Kittypets in here?" one of them hissed furiously. "Just what I'dexpect from that new Kittypet to bring another one univited!" another spat.

Finally, they were through the chaos and reached a small den where a large gray-blue cat with wise, glittering eyes sat as though she had waited for their arrival. Next to her sat a mammoth tabby tom with glaring eyes. The tabby spoke first, "What are you doing here?" He didn't just ask it lightly but furiously stepped forward. "Tigerclaw," meowed the wise grey she-cat. "Let's here what they have to say before you accuse them." Tigerclaw sat and still had dispicable anger in his eyes. "Firepaw, Graypaw, why have you brought these Kittypets away from their homes?" Firepaw tried to speak up but Graypaw's voice was louder than his own, "**Firepaw **brought them here. I told him not to but he told me to take them to you." The wise gray cat looked over to Firepaw. He expected the worse but it was not anger that sat inside of her eyes, they had sympathy and understanding glittering within them.

"And a wise thing that was," she glanced once more at Firepaw, "Firepaw." He was shocked. Tigerclaw rolled his eyes and hissed silently so that his leader wouldn't hear. "What if they had been rouges, loners or even spies at that." Graypaw was shocked out of his wits as well. That was exactly what he had said! "Thank you." But Firepaw wasn't the only one in recieving honors, "And Graypaw," Graypaw's ears pricked and his eyes widened as his head turned toward her. "You are very brave. You tried to stop even your best friend to save the clan and I can tell that you told him something similar to what I had said." How did she know?

Pepper and Lucky felt out of place. All these two younglings had done was taking them to a different part of the forest. Pepper's hard pounded. What were they going to with them? "But," the blue leader's speach to them continued. "Why were you out there anyway? And without a warrior? That alone should take away your honor." She was right. Both of them looked down that the ground beneath them and dusted it with a paw. Pepper could tell they were ashamed. Tigerclaw seemed delighted all of the sudden as though he anctiously wanted them to get in deep trouble.

"Now," the large tabby began. "What are we going to do with these Kittypets you two dragged in?" All of the strange clan cats stared at Pepper and Lucky. Tigerclaw and Graypaw's glaces looked like they were ready to get rid of them, Firepaw's gaze looked like he was wanting to more about them and Bluestar, the wise grey-blue leader, looked sympathetic even though they were 'Kittypets.'

Bluestar went over and got face to face with Pepper. "What have you come for?" She suddenly unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground. "This better be good," hissed Tigerclaw, the tabby tom sitting beside her.

"Well," Pepper hesitated. "I'm Pepper and I guess you could say..." She paused looking for the right words. "I guess you could say I'm one of those 'Kittypet' things you were calling me and that I was tired of a life like that. I'm sorry... My friend, Lucky here," she flicked her tail to him. "Tried to stop me but I never realized this was territory." It seemed she had picked the right words because Bluestar suddenly looked sorry for her. "Ah, a lost Kittypet. We get those all of the time. If you want to, we could walk you back to your Twolegs?" Firepaw looked disapointed for some reason and Pepper's heart plummeted.

"'Twolegs?'" Pepper leaned her head to the side. Bluestar just laughed. Pepper was still very young. Just about Firepaw and Graypaw's age or maybe a small bit younger. She was being very brave, though. She was acting like she was questioning her best friend, Lucky. She glanced toward Firpaw for a moment. His expressionmadea serge of electric energy shoot throughher for a moment. He looked shocked, almost paralized or stunned. He also looked sort of interested.

"Yeah, you must live with some Twolegs if you are a Kittypet?" Pepper suddenly realized what they were and Bluestar noticed, continueing, "So you do know what they are. We just had a case like that recently, in fact. Our brave Firepaw here use to live with the Twolegs but now he lives among clan life. I feel that it would be unfair if we let him stay and not you." Everyone knew what that meant. They all looked shocked, even Firepaw.

Pepper's face lit up. "You really mean it? I can? I would love that!" Bluestar looked pleased. "Then it's settled," Bluestar stated."But-" Pepper was startled. "You will always have to up-hold the warrior code: being loyal to the clan, and defending it even with the caust of your life." This was all too fast. Lucky looked over to her with bulged eyes when she nodded, "I do." Bluestar smiled. "Good, then we will hold your ceremony soon." She looked over to Lucky and flicked her tail to beckon him. "And what about you, Lucky?" Bluestar asked hopefully as she gazed at his unusually large muscles. "Do you want to join also? You look healthy, strong and ready to be loyal and a great addition to our clan." Lucky was flattered but he didn't want to be blinded by compliments. Pepper had already agreed and he had practically made a vow to protect her. He nodded. "Great. I will gather the clan up for your cerimonies but they won't be happy. Just keep in mind that you will have to adjust to clan life."

_Eating bugs, catching our own food, picking ticks out of ourselves constantly, having to deal with social and predetor problems... I guess I can deal,_ Lucky thought to himself. Of course, he still thought Pepper was completely wrong but he wanted to protect her with all of his power, heart and life.

Later, Bluestar stood at the point of the Highrock and began her annoucement, "Let all those old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Highrock." Pepper followed behind Bluestar, embarassed. Lucky followed behind Tigerclaw, curious. "Just as Firepaw was, we have two Kittypets here today with us." Cats of all kinds and colors creaped from the brambles and ferns very slowly but like they were going to attack.

"What are we going to do with them?" one of them asked. "What are they doing in our territory?" shouted another. "Get out of here, Kittypets!" Spat one more.

"Silence!" Bluestar commanded. "Pepper," Bluestar beckond. "Come forth." Pepper came with her head low. "Pepper, I see that you are willing to become an apprintice now and you are ready to take on clan life. Do you feel this way too?" Bluestar wasn't using the correct words but Pepper didn't know so she simply nodded and said, "Yes, I do." Bluestar nodded. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I welcome you to ThunderClan, I now name you Mosspaw." Pepper smiled. Everyone glared, though.

After they finished with Mosspaw's ceremony, Bluestar beckoned Lucky like she had done to Mosspaw. "Lucky," Bluestar meowed. "Come forth." Lucky did as she said. When he was side by side with Bluestar, she instantly started. "Lucky, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and to defend you Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Bluestar used different words than she had used with Mosspaw. Lucky shrugged and said, "I guess I do." The Clan cats all echode a gasp. Bluestar ignored them. They needed Lucky. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lucky, from this moment on you will be known as Nightpelt." The black tom, now known as Nightpelt, rose determinedly. He rose with pride, almost as though he had just changed his mind about joining this Clan. He looked like a true warrior. "We welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He smiled. He must've either liked his new name or this attention. Everyone seemed a lot more happy about him. Some even chanted his new name, "Nightpelt! Nightpelt!"

Nightpelt padded up to Mosspaw. "Like you new name, Nightpelt?" Mosspaw said, almost aggravated.

"I guess so," he responded nonchalantly. "Really?" Mosspaw asked, sarcastically. "It didn't seem that way when everyone cheered for you." She looked to the side. "What do you have that I don't?" He didn't want to tell her how much she looked comletely overfed and underexercised. She didn't have have a muscle in her, some would say.

"Well, you and I will just have to get adjusted. You are the only one that brought this on you," he wanted to refrase that, "I meant: you brought this on yourself. Don't blame me if someone greets me... Please!" He looked at her square in the eyes. "I only did this to help you. I did what you wanted. Now you're just biting the utter that gives you milk."

"I-I'm sorry... I am acting like a total wimp already. I'm trying to be brave but what happens if one of them turns on us and attacks us? Or because we're _Kittypets_, they might blaim us for everything, that includes stuff that we didn't do!" Mosspaw exclaimed.

"I warned you. Now you're stuck with this." Nightpelt turned to the Clan cats and a white warrior showed him around the camp.

Mosspaw was all alone now. When she heard her name being called behind her, she turned to see a fiery pelted apprintice running towards her. "Mosspaw!" he rasped. "Mosspaw!"

When he arrived next to her, he was panting. He obviously was once a Kittypet. "Hey, Mosspaw," he meowed, still panting. "Hi," Mosspaw said out of sheer politeness.

"What are you doing all the way over here? Everyone is over there and some want to meet you." Firepaw smiled. Mosspaw's face bightened. "Siriously?" Firepaw looked offended. "Of course! Come on." They both padded over to the crowd gathering up. Mosspaw still staid close to Firepaw for she didn't know many of these cats.

A tabby tom with dark black stripes glared as Mosspaw walked by. Another very dark tom sat next to him, copying him. A small dusky brown she-cat looked over to her and hissed. A sleek black tom, Firepaw's size, padded up to the uncomfortable she-cat, Mosspaw. He was the only one who looked friendly so far. He began to speak. "Hello. So you are a Kittypet like Firepaw once was, huh?" Mosspaw glared.

"I _was_ a Kittypet. Now I am a Clan cat, you got that?" Mosspaw wasn't sure of how she was talking to him but she tried to sound like one not to be messed with. In the black tom's eyes, she was acting like a kit.

The dark tom that glared at her earlier stalked up behind the offended black tom and spoke dispicably, "Just what I'd expect a Kittypet to say. Ravenpaw could have ripped your fur off any time now. You're so spoiled; all of your kind are."

Firepaw stood up. "You stay out of this, Darkstripe!" Darkstripe's eyes bulged with anger. "Watch your mouth, Kittypet!" Then he ran in the other direction.

"Who was he?" Mosspaw asked, trying not to sound too vulnerable. "He was Darkstripe, Tigerclaw's best friend and ally."

"I hate him, too!" Mosspaw hissed in a whisper. "Do you hate more of us?" Ravenpaw asked almost frightened. "Yes," Mosspaw retorted. "I do. I just joined your Clan and already, everyone thinks I am bad. You don't even know me yet!" Bluestar wriggled out of the bushes just then. "And that is exactly why," Bluestar meowed, obviously she overheard the conversation. "None of us trust you yet. You have to prove your courage and loyalty not only to the Clan, but to yourself as well." Mosspaw looked up at her with heartrending eyes. After that, she ran off into the thick brambles. Firepaw ran after her.

"Firepaw!" Ravenpaw called, standing. "I'll send some warriors after them, don't worry," Bluestar calmed him. "Mousefur, Whitestorm, Graypaw," they came forth. "Mousefur, go look for Firepaw and the new clanmate, Mosspaw, near the RiverClan border at the SunningRocks. Whitestorm and Graypaw, search all of the area up to the ThunderPath." Graypaw and Mousefur looked dissapointed to go but they all nodded and leaped to the brambles Firepaw and Mosspaw had gone into.

When Firepaw caught up with Mosspaw in the thick trees of what Twolegs called the forest, White Heart Woods, he saw her running after a squirrel that ran up a nearby tree. Mosspaw started climbing up the tree and pounced on the squirrel.

She got it!

But Mosspaw's claws didn't hold tight enough, she slipped out of the trees into a prickly thorn bush. "Mosspaw!" Firepaw called out, not thinking of hiding. He searched through the thorn bush and found her, the squirrel still lay clamped tightly in her jaws. Firepaw gasped with happiness. Mosspaw got out of the thorn bushes.

"Why did you come after me?" She hissed with the squirrel under her paw. Mosspaw was being extraordinarily brave, standing up to a trained Clan cat like this. "I-I was worried... I guess..." Mosspaw's heart lifted but her expression didn't. "Well, don't be. I caught this all by myself without a hint of your stupid training!" Mosspaw had never eaten a squirrel before so she kept it tucked under her paw until Firepaw went away. But he didn't.

"Come on, Mosspaw. Let's bring you back to camp. Many warriors are out looking for you." Firepaw beckoned her.

"No," Mosspaw spat. "How do I know it's not another lie to get me to come? Last time you told me something like this, I ended out being yelled at!" She clamped the squirrel in her jaws and started to limp another direction.

"Are you limping?" Firepaw noticed her gait and didn't wait for a reply. She was too stuborn. "At least let Leafear give you some herbs and take the thorns out of your pads. She turned. "All right," she agreed. Firepaw was suprised that it took so quick. She must have known that she wouldn't survive on her own. "I'll go. But only for healing!"

When they got back to camp, Mousefur, Whitestorm and Graypaw were already there. They gave up before looking thoroughly. Mosspaw limped over to the medicine cat's den with the guide of Firepaw. "Leafear," Firepaw called as he entered. A sweet smelling, wise, tiger tabby she-cat turned with a sympathetic smile on her face. Although she look pleased, her eyes were filled with sorrow, like she had lived to see her lover's final breath. "Are you the one they call Mosspaw?" Mosspaw dipped her head. "Yes, I am."

"Good, I have been waiting for you." Mosspaw's eyes widened. Her voice sounded like she knew this was going to happen. "Now, let me see your paw." Mosspaw lifted her paw and leaned toward Leafear. "I see. Look closely, this is how you remove thorns," Leafear pulled out the thorns. Mosspaw nodded when their eyes met again. "I can see in your eyes that you are interested. Do you want to know more?" Stunned, Mosspaw nodded. Leafear just nodded. "Then I will show you the herbs to treat your wound." Mosspaw had left her squirrel at the entrance. No one had seen it yet.

Leafear had told Mosspaw many tricks and tought her about many herbs. Mosspaw even got to mix some of the herbs to take away pain. When Mosspaw emerged from the undergrowth that led to the Medicine cat's den, everyone looked toward her. She emerged from it looking totally different, with her squirrel in her jaws. She padded over to Bluestar and set it in front of her. Bluestar nodded and they went to the HighRock. Cat's gathered up, even without call.

"Cats of ThunderClan. Look at what is before you," Bluestar meowed. "We have a new clan member upon us and many of you haven't noticed that yet." Bluestar shot an aggrivated glance at Darkstripe, Longtail and a few others. "You now see not Mosspaw, but a different cat. You will now know this brave cat as Spottedpaw."

Spottedpaw looked among them. Some of them cheered her name, "Spottedpaw! Spottedpaw!" And Spottedpaw stood straight, filled with pride among them.

Bluestar smiled. Spottedpaw was in the middle of smiling when suddenly, she heard crackiling in the bushes. Growls rose from both the bushes and the Clan cats. Fiery object jumped out of the ferns.

Foxes!


End file.
